I'm just looking for confirmation that hiding components isn't possible in Maya. Yes, I know how to hide objects, and I can separate a mesh and hide, since those parts are now standalone objects, but let's say I need to paint some weights for the inside of the mouth so I'd like to hide most of the head. I can't do it. Such a thing is silly-simple in LW or Modo, you just select some polys and click 'hide' and they're gone.

So just to confirm, you can't do that in Maya, right?

Oh, and I know I can assign a transparent material to any faces, but transparent or not they're still selectable and thus still in the way and not truly hidden.

I haven't tried this while skinning before but isolate mode might be what you're looking for

That's great, thanks a bunch! Would be nicer if it had an inverse as well, but I'll take what I can get.

Originally Posted by Zarathustra

That's great, thanks a bunch! Would be nicer if it had an inverse as well, but I'll take what I can get.

could probably set up hotkeys to scripts that isolate and reverse the isolation. Just to be clear, you want the script to do the inverse of what you isolated right? Might try and script it up over lunch.

That would be great! Must be nice to have a handle on Maya scripting. Several years ago I added Maya as a supplemental tool but it's grown in need for me so my knowledge of it is growing, but it's spotty.

Sorry for the delay. Got caught up with some stuff, anywho here it is. I've included a GUI version of the script and also broken down the script into individual scripts to throw into marking menus and add to hotkeys.

Download Here.

Installation:
1. Download the .mel file.
2. Place it in your My Documents/maya/scripts folder.
3. Re-start Maya (or type rehash in command line) and
- type AB_QuickIsolate in the MEL command line to launch GUI with Hide, Inverse and Show All scripts
- type AB_HideFaces in the MEL command line to hide faces. (Useful for shortcuts and marking menus)
- type AB_Inverse in the MEL command line to inverse visible selection. (Useful for shortcuts and marking menus)
- type AB_ShowAll in the MEL command line to view all. (Useful for shortcuts and marking menus)
4. Make shelf button or add to marking menu's for profit.

Enjoy and if you have any suggestions/bugs, just contact me.

the "AB_showAll" you meant "AB_ShowAll" with caps on the "S". ;)

Here's a marking menu already done. Thanks Haiddasalami!

You can put this file on this path below:
Users\USER\Documents\maya\MAYAVERSION\prefs\markin gMenus

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10617759/menu_IsolateMenu.mel

Whoops. Thanks for that catch bugo.

No problem dude, thank you!

I updated the download and install instructions. If you have any suggestions, pm me hugo And thanks for making the marking menu. Saves people time.

This is awesome! Thanks a lot, guys! It'll help with modeling, but it'll REALLY help a lot when it comes time to paint weights.